1. Field
This invention relates to a container and more specifically to a biodegradable container for storing products.
2. Description of the Related Art
The packaging industry has recently experienced rapid growth. Plastic packaging is now commonly used for many products including semi-solid and liquid items such as food, beverages, water, consumer products, lotions, medicines, wet chemicals, and the like. These plastic packaged products generate waste in the form of plastics and its derivatives, and where non-biodegradable materials are used for this ever-increasing packaging, it may result in contamination of the landscape and the environment. In addition, it now appears that some of these plastics may leach various toxic substances into the products that they enclose, endangering the safety and health of the consumers of such products.
Paper containers are sometimes used instead to package dry goods and liquids. While paper is typically biodegradable, paper poses other difficulties when used as a liquid packaging material. Paper containers are typically compound structures formed of multiple flat paper sections. These assemblies have multiple seams and other potential weak points that may rupture or otherwise leak as liquids find their way into voids left by imperfect manufacture or wick into the cut edges of the coated paper where it is exposed on the inside surfaces of the container. These paper containers may also include additional materials such as plastic films or composite sheets that are not biodegradable.
There remains a need for a biodegradable and/or recyclable container that may be used for the storage and transport of semi-solid and/or liquids items.